And So It Begins

Last week I hit rock bottom.  

My addiction?  A lifestyle void of real physical activity and a love of all things sweet and incredibly bad for me.

I am not sure exactly what it was that made me realize I had reached bottom.  I didn’t burse a zipper, or blow out a seam in my pants (although that’s surely possible).  I didn’t see a picture of myself that made me shudder.  I didn’t overhear someone talking about my oversized booty.   Something inside me just made me realize that it was time to buck up and get serious about getting in shape.

So – last week I met with the resident fitness expert at the school where I work.  She did a “getting started” assessment, where she learned a little bit about my incredibly sedentary lifestyle, my eating habits, and of course she weighed me and took those dreaded measurements.   I’m not prepared to share it with you – but suffice it to say, I was embarrassed.     Before I left her office I scheduled a meeting with her to set up a workout regime to suit my life.  Then off I went to begin my 4-day holiday weekend – armed only with the knowledge that I was NOT going to treat this weekend like one last hurrah.  Instead, I was going to use it as a time to mentally prepare.  Sure, I would enjoy a few indulgences, but I was not going to be so “bad” that come Tuesday morning, I would be trying to get back to where I was last Thursday.  

Mission accomplished.

The weather in the northeast was beastly this weekend – but  I did manage a nice long walk with some friends.  More importantly, I took the time to stock up the fridge with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, and even bought several things to bring to work so that I’m not tempted to run to the neighborhood sandwich shop for snacks.

There is no doubt that my quest for fitness will quickly become a topic that no one wants to talk about over dinner (much like my son’s college search efforts, and the kids’ summer reading assignments) – so rather than trying to force the issue ‘round the family dinner table – I’m going to share it virtually – right here, ‘Round the Kitchen Table.   I promise this won’t be all I talk about – but don’t be surprised to see frequent posts with progress updates, obstacles, challenges – and hopefully lots of successes. 

If there is one thing I know for sure, it is much easier to do this with a buddy than it is to go it alone.  So if you’re so inclined, by all means – join me.  Share your thoughts, challenges, words of encouragement, ideas for how to make a healthy lifestyle a way of life.    

And so…here and now…it begins.

Day 1 – The Program

Met with our own fitness guru, Alison (aka Wonder Woman).  I’ve had many “first days” in the gym – but she is truly inspirational.  Rock solid, fit but not over done.  Beautiful glowing complexion. Upbeat positive attitude.  And she genuinely cares.  She isn’t trying to set me up with a program that is unrealistic for my life.  Instead, she’s cautioning me to take it slow, and set reasonable goals.  In short, she  wants to see me succeed.

Started with 20 minutes on the treadmill, mostly just to warm up and see how the machine works.

Alison walked me through all the basic machines for a good upper and lower body workout.  I did one set of each exercise, finished with abs and some basic stretches.

She showed me around the rest of the facility so I could see where to shower, change, etc.  

Quick clean up and change – then back work.

Per Wonder Woman’s direction, 20 minutes after workout, I needed a light snack of protein and carbohydrate.  That translated to:

1 cup Weight Watcher’s yogurt – 100 cal., 6 g protein, 0 fat, 3g dietary fiber, 12 g sugar
1 ½ cup watermelon cubes 
One big glass of water! 

Challenges of the Day:  Going out to dinner tonight – very limited menu selection (if any).  

Strategies to overcome the Challenge:  Portion control.  Drink lots of water. 

Note to self: Working out in the morning is a good thing.   It sets  you up for a good day. J 

No Excuse Rule du Jour:  Even if you can’t get your work out done in the morning, spend a few minutes stretching.

OK – that’s it for now.  Wish me luck – and like I said, please feel free to share your journey with me too!